Mumps Cases Jump In Illinois

A recent outbreak of mumps in central Illinois has health professionals working to contain the disease. Dr. LaMar Hasbrouck directs the Illinois Department of Public Health. He says managing an outbreak is expensive for all involved.

ultrastructural details of the mumps virions that had been grown in a Vero cell culture

Credit CDC

He says vaccinations are key to understanding the problem -- and fixing it.

Though vaccination is required by law in order to attend school in Illinois, Hasbrouck says in any given year, about 60,000 children are not immunized.

"What we don't have is the vigilance on behalf of parents, and we don't have the vigilance, in my opinion, on behalf of the schools, who need to really reinforce and enforce the laws and say, 'Well, no, Johnny can't come to school unless he brings proof of his vaccination.' " - Lamar Hasbrouck, Director, Illinois Dept. of Public Health

Hasbrouck warns parents of "vaccine-preventable" diseases including mumps, measles, rubella and chicken pox. Illinois already has 65 reported cases of mumps so far this year, compared with last year's total of 26.